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Filed under: Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Minivans/MPVs , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Toyota Click above for a high-res gallery of the Toyota FT-HS concept. A report by Automotive News detailing Toyota's future products reveals that the automaker's focus will be realigned to meet new fuel efficiency standards and limiting high-powered and niche offerings. On the hybrid side, the new Prius will debut in Detroit, with sales beginning in the spring of 2009 as a 2010 model. The nickel-metal hydride battery will remain, and because of that, the plug-in model will be delayed until a lithium ion battery is offered. The new Prius will be packing the Corolla's 1.8-liter four cylinder and the car will be an inch wider and a half-inch longer. The second hybrid model might not come to Detroit, but development is currently under way and sales will be limited to Japan. The Supra revival has been shelved due to high mpg requirements, allowing Toyota to focus on its RWD coupe...
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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , BMW Click above for more high-res images of the 2009 BMW 3 Series Rest easy, torque-lovers, BMW will be releasing the diesel version of its uber-popular 3 Series sedan in the United States later this year, exactly on schedule. Because it's so late in the year, the Bavarian automaker will be labeling it as a 2009 model, leading some to believe that the 335d was not going to be coming until next year. Not so, according to BMW spokesman Tom Plucinsky, who confirmed to KickingTires that both the 335d and the X5 35d will be making it Stateside sometime in November after production begins in September. Both upcoming diesel models from BMW will use a 3.0-liter twin turbo oil-burner rated at 265hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. That's plenty of stump-pulling torque, but the best news could be the expected fuel mileage of 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway when paired with the six speed automatic. Gallery: 2009 BMW 3 Series [Source...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Mercury , Driving Click the image above for more high res pics of the 2009 Mariner Hybrid Ford took pride in being the first automaker on the planet to offer a hybrid utility vehicle when it introduced the first battery-assisted Ford Escape in mid-2004. The Escape hybrid has had mixed success over the past few years, but with gas prices hitting $4 per gallon, the Blue Oval is selling every unit it can produce. For the 2008 model year, one in eight Escape sales are hybrids, which is impressive when you consider that it averages $30,000 per vehicle. In 2006, the Escape was joined by the lower volume Mariner Hybrid, giving Ford two entries in the hybrid soft-roader market, and a green model to sell at Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. The Escape got a thorough makeover on the outside for 2008, but most of the mechanicals remain a carryover from the previous generation. For 2009, Ford finished the job on the Escape and its sheet...
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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Lexus , Rumormill We've known for quite some time that Toyota would be introducing the world to its third-generation Prius hybrid sedan at next year's Detroit Auto Show. Expected to be powered by a revised and enlarged 1.8-liter engine and electric motors, the new model aims to continue Toyota's hybrid dominance, at least for the next few model years. We also expect Lexus to get its own more luxurious version of the Prius, and Inside Line is reporting that it will come in calender year 2010 and could be the first Toyota-made hybrid with lithium ion batteries. What's more, Lexus is said to be considering a second hybrid-only model to be based on Toyota's midsize sedan architecture, as is the current RX, which is available in both standard and hybrid guises. Rumor is that the second dedicated hybrid model might be a crossover utility vehicle, the current darling of the it's-not-a-station...
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Filed under: Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Volkswagen All-time high gas prices have made Americans intensifyt heir searches for top-shelf fuel economy, as evidenced by 15-year-old Geo Metros selling on eBay for $7,200. Apparently even capitalistic insanity isn't enough to convince Volkswagen to bring a diesel engine Stateside in the hotly anticipated Tiguan , as the ultra-efficient 2.0L oil-burner likely won't be available for MY 2009. Part of the problem lies in the fact that the Tiguan is selling extremely well in Europe, which negates the need to rush additional models to the US, where a weak dollar is cutting into the German automaker's profits. VW is also trying to keep the price down on the new crossover, and diesel engines add thousands to the sticker. We wouldn't be surprised if the constant delays surrounding the 2.0L TDI have anything to do with the decision, either. If a price war can break out on eBay in an effort to buy a turquoise 49 hp deathtrap, we're more...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Hybrids/Alternative , Contests , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Photo: KEVIN A. WILSON, Autoweek Recently, Ford Motor Company sponsored a contest with the goal of modernizing the iconic Model T, a car which revolutionized motorized transportation the world over. The winner of the competition, a 24-year-old junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit named Dong Trang, came up with an electric crossover of sorts. That's fitting, according to Peter Horbury, head of design for Ford in the Americas, because Henry Ford's original Model T sat high off the ground and had a modular design, capable of hauling people and their stuff at the same time. What the modern-day designs don't share with their forebear is retro looks. Each of the modern T adaptations features fairly sleek styling and alternative power that goes along with our modern-day energy and emissions problems. Trang's design is rather unique, featuring solar panels on the vehicle...
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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Convertibles , Coupes , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Sports/GTs , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Lexus , Australia Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A Roadster concept. Lexus Australia's chief executive, John Roca, gave up a number of product details to The Australian in an interview this past weekend, including the addition of an "F" variant of the GS sedan and possibly a full-size LS limo. Both models are aimed to attack luxury stalwarts Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz by offering a number of high-performance variants and also developing a new model that would slot in below the IS sedan to take on the BMW 1-series and the Audi A3. That model is still a few years away, but it will be an integral part of Lexus' commitment to reach one million global sales in the next two to three years. The other element includes offering hybrid versions of every vehicle it sells, plus the introduction of a hybrid-only model that will...
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Filed under: SUVs , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Mercedes Benz Click above for a high-res gallery of the MB GL320 BlueTec Urea injection will finally arrive in the U.S. when Mercedes-Benz launches fifty-state-legal diesel versions of its ML320, GL320 and R320 BlueTec models. Mercedes says these U.S. light-duty diesels will be equipped with AdBlue injection that allows them to meet this country's strict Tier2 Bin5 emissions standards. To live up to that, Mercedes will have to ensure that vehicles are shipped before BMW gets the X5 and 335d into customers hands this fall . The Mercedes vehicles are using a 3.0L turbo diesel V-6 putting out 210 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, while using urea injection (like the diesel BMWs and upcoming diesel VW Touareg and Audi Q7) to almost completely eliminate NOx emissions. Called AdBlue, it is a solution of 2/3 water and 1/3 urea that reacts with NOx to create nitrogen and water. The urea is contained in a 7-gallon (8.5-gallon in the larger...
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Filed under: SUVs , Geneva Motor Show , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Audi Click above for high-res gallery of the Audi Q7 V12 TDI Audi may not have any current plans to offer the monster R8 V12 TDI it showed in Detroit to consumers, but that doesn't mean the 12-cylinder oil burner is going to waste. We first saw Audi's 6L V12 diesel mounted in a Q7 V12 TDI concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show , and now it looks like it will be heading to showrooms. Volkswagen's southern branch will be offering the Q7 V12 TDI quattro to customers with enough cash, although exactly how much lettuce will be needed is unknown at this point. Audi plans to start taking pre-orders for the 758 lb-ft, all-wheel-drive seven-seater in the second half of this year. The Germans also haven't said if U.S. dollars will be acceptable for the transaction or Euros will be required. What we do know is that mind-boggling torque figure and the 500 hp peak coming from the V12 oil burner. Even in this large, high...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Geneva Motor Show , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Mercedes Benz Click above for a high-res gallery of the MB GLK Hybrid When Mercedes-Benz premiered the new GLK compact SUV at the Detroit Auto Show in January, the styling struck most people as at best awkward. With the outward appearance of the full-size GL shrunk down to an Escape-sized vehicle, it still looks like a reject for a Chrysler Sebring crossover. Regardless of what you think of the exterior body work, the latest edition of the GLK that Mercedes is showing in concept form at Geneva next week seems to be capable of pretty serious mileage for an SUV/CUV. The Vision GLK BlueTec Hybrid is another in the series of models using the new mild hybrid system Mercedes is developing with BMW. In this case, Mercedes has combined it with the 2.2L four cylinder diesel for a total output of 224 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to move the GLK to 62 mph in 7.3 sec while getting 40 mpg (US). On the outside...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Detroit Auto Show , Sedans/Saloons , Etc. , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Cadillac , Chevrolet , Honda , Saturn Click image for a gallery of the Saturn Flextreme At its annual dealer meeting in San Francisco, what's described as having been a "passing remark" seems to be generating some buzz. Automotive News reports that a GM spokesperson said that the Chevy Volt's underlying technology could make its way into offerings from the automaker's other brands. While the report describes an excited dealer's reaction, the idea of shared E-Flex itself is hardly surprising. For instance, we've seen E-Flex concepts for Saturn/ Opel (Flextreme) and Cadillac ( Provoq ) already, and sharing the tech makes sense when you consider that consumer interest will probably be high whenever the Volt is ultimately produced, and spreading the wealth gives GM multiple avenues (and price points) at which it can cash in on the investment. The General already shares...
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Filed under: Chicago Auto Show , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Hatchbacks , Chevrolet click above for high-res gallery of the E85 Chevy HHR Apparently, the movement toward smaller cars in the US market also includes the Chevrolet HHR. According to GM, HHR sales jumped 73% last month compared to 2007 with a total of 9,650 being shipped out the door. At the Chicago Auto Show today, the automaker announced further enhancements to the retro wagon for the 2009 model year. The smaller 2.2L four cylinder will inherit the variable valve timing that's already installed on the optional 2.4L engine. To celebrate the improved sales, both engines will also be able to drink ethanol as well. The HHR will be the first American-market GM model to have a flex-fuel four cylinder engine, something that Saabs have offered for several years now. [Source: General Motors] Gallery: Chicago 2008: Chevrolet HHR flex-fuel Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Trucks/Pickups , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Buick , Chevrolet , GM , GMC , Saturn Over at AutoblogGreen, one of our colleagues has a report that General Motors may be introducing hybrid versions of its Lambda CUVs (the Buick Enclave, Saturn Outlook and GMC Acadia), as well as the GMC Sierra. Previously, GM had not indicated that any of these vehicles would be hybridized. Since the Sierra is built on the same GMT900 platform as the already available Tahoe/Yukon two-mode hybrids and the upcoming Escalade and Silverado hybrids, let's tackle that one first. The Silverado and Sierra are essentially the same vehicle with only visual differences, so this one is a no-brainer and it's only a matter of time before GMC announces a Sierra Hybrid. The Lambda hybrids are a different story entirely. According to Brian Corbett, GM's spokesman for Hybrid programs, there are no immediate plans to build a hybrid version of the Lambdas. In fact, during a conversation we had with Bob...
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Mercury , Misc. Auto Shows click above to view more high-res pics of the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrids As AutoblogGreen points out, Ford will soon be facing tough competition in the compact hybrid CUV segment with the introduction of the Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid . What better time, then, to update the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid for 2009? The big news is the addition of a new 2.5L four-cylinder to replace the old 2.3L engine. Not only is the new engine larger, but it also adds variable valve timing on the intake to boost power by 17 up to 170 horsepower. The 2.5L also serves as the new base engine for the standard Escape and Mariner, but uses the Atkinson cycle in the hybrid models. Ford's hybrid CUVs also get a new six-speed automatic, aerodynamic upgrades and new 16-inch low-rolling resistance tires from Michelin. All of these improvements add up to a one mpg gain in fuel economy, plus more power and...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , Green , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Mazda , Mercury Ford's been cranking out hybrid CUVs on the CD2 platform for four years now, and with over 40,000 produced, it's gotten to be old hat. Since it started in 2004, Ford's managed to make the Escape, Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute 30-percent cheaper to build. That cost reduction, coupled with the pending introduction of the hybrid Fusion and Milan platform-mates, will allow Ford's hybrid program to actually turn a profit for the first time in 2008. The Mariner and Escape hybrids find about 21,000 owners per year, and adding the hardware to the sedans could spur sales of Ford's hybrid system, further reducing costs. We're excited to try out the sedans with the hybrid system and the potential for a winner is there if Ford manages to deliver the goods at an attractive price. [Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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